Back Bar and Cocktail Lounge Review

Review By Cassie Mckay

Anybody that is from Melbourne knows that when you want to shop, Chapel Street is the place to go: a street famous for its boutique styled shops eagerly waiting for the next credit card swipe. After a long and exhausting day of spending on what I believe to be bargains, all I want is to find the nearest bar where I will drip dry what is left in my purse before my bank statement arrives. Located on the corner of Chapel and Green Street at number 67 is where you will find the Back Bar & Cocktail Lounge, a secret gem that will no doubt match your brand new black heels.

Pump up the volume all the way on the stylish dial, multiple it by ten and that is what it was like the first time I entered the Back Bar & Cocktail Lounge. An explosion of vintage chic and elegance literally seep off the walls onto the royalesque carpet under your feet. The impressive decor consists of patterned wallpaper, red & cream suede lounge suites, cosy lamps and a small but decent sized bar with all the martini's your heart can desire! One step inside the Back Bar & Cocktail Lounge and the year is 1942 in downtown Paris; your craving for a beer soon turns into a need for a fancy cocktail.

There are two levels to the Back Bar & Cocktail Lounge; the 'Red Lounge' that is found on ground level which is a room with a live fireplace and red dimmed lighting that can cater for 60 guests. Up a level and you will find the 'Gold Lounge' which is a larger area that caters for 100 guests. The atmosphere here is brighter with the gold tinted lighting thus the name 'Gold Lounge'.

When it comes to the menu the Back Bar & Cocktail lounge isn't somewhere I would recommend going when you're on the verge of starvation. It's a nice menu but let's just say there isn't a huge range to pick from. Canapes are available for functions, and range from $120 to $240; but if you looking for snacks and platters to share then the bar menu is what your after. Platter's range from $65 with a range of ingredients to feed up to 10 people; the bar menu features snacks like gourmet pizzas, mini quiches and beef pies all ranging from $15 to $40.

Drinks are where it is at though. From house reds to whiskey you cannot go past, and the cocktails I must say have this home made feel to them. I can't remember the exact drink I purchased (sober I was) but I do remember the fresh garnish of cherries it had on top. At the Back Bar & Cocktail Lounge you will not find anything less than fresh and artful beverages; prices for these drinks can range from $10-$200.

At Back and Cocktail lounge you will find people aged from 20 to 50 years old, businessmen type and shoppers stumbling across for the first time. Being honest the location is in a pricey market so you will find people with higher earning incomes. To be brutally honest I have been twice but I would not make it a regular spot for myself unless booking a function, as the price for drinks really can eat out of one's pockets.

This place isn't cheap as chips but when it comes to the Back Bar and Cocktail Lounge, it is more about the experience and atmosphere rather than happy hour. Everything feels like it has been meticulously done for your benefit. I would recommend going to the Back Bar and Cocktail Lounge at least once to experience vintage fun at it's best.